


The Books of Concordia

by Kuuvak



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2018-10-11 18:01:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10470867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kuuvak/pseuds/Kuuvak
Summary: A darkness has fallen across the lands of Concordia. The four Kingdoms have always lived in harmony and peace until the pillars that held their kingdom together slowly began to crumble. The noble Kingdom of Hearts and the Kingdom of Diamond, along with the Kingdom of Clubs have gathered and are ready to declare war against the Kingdom of Spades due to the unknown power of the Dark Prince of Spades. Time is running out and the fate of the Kingdoms rests in the hands of the next generation.





	1. Drakontos

It was incredibly cold this morning and the citizens of the Kingdom of Hearts stirred. The sun was covered by a haze and the ground had a frost which covered the greenery. The air felt thin and the people began to fret as this was unusual for the Spring in the Kingdom of Hearts. One boy in particular grew more anxious than ever as he watched his dragon growl and roar in a distressed fashion.

“Easy boy, easy” the boy cooed as the dragon in question grew restless. The boy ran his hand over the dragon’s snout gently in an attempt to calm the beast. He sighed and ran his free hand through his thick raven hair. He had never seen his dragon so distraught. The large creature quieted at the boy’s words and it’s breathing calmed. You could see it’s breath dance in the air as it snorted.

“My lord, your father has requested to see you in the main dining hall,” a voice came from behind the boy. The dragon let out a soft growl as the stranger approached, small sparks flying from it’s mouth. A hand calmly rubbed the nose of the dragon which seemed to put the beast at ease for the moment.

“Easy Stardust, easy. Look, I’ve told you before you don’t have to call me that,” the boy said without turning his gaze away from the dragon. “You can just call me Yusei. Besides, I need to find out what is troubling Stardust.”  
Yusei kept his attention on the large white beast before him and he slowly massaged the dragon’s snout again and began quietly whispering to the large creature.

The older man shook his head with a sigh, the young prince was a strange one indeed.   
“Prince Yusei, please it is urgent that we go at once, the King is expecting you,” the man had a stern tone in his voice which caused Yusei to turn his gaze. He sighed heavily and turned back to the dragon.  
“Stay here Stardust, I’ll be back,” Yusei promised as he followed the older man. Yusie knew his father was a patient man but not a man to have his patience tested.

“You put so much trust in such a creature, surely you would think to be more cautious with such a beast, my Prince,” the older man scolded the young prince as they made their way out of the castle’s garden.   
“He’s not as ferocious as people seem to think,” Yusei laughed as they made their way inside the large structure. He had befriended the dragon many years ago and even though most people respected and praised the dragons of the lands, some still feared the creatures.

As they entered the main dining hall Yusei could see his father along with his mother, waiting with the council. The sight made him feel uneasy and curious. They all watched him with disapproving glares as he moved across the hall.  
“Well, there you are, we’ve been waiting for quite some time. I’d expect a Prince to know the difference between being the next ruler of the Kingdom and being a simple dragon’s keeper,” the King’s voice was loud and filled the room, it gave Yusei a slight unease. He remained silent but simply nodded in acknowledgement. He knew his father didn’t approve of his friendship with his dragon and arguing would not help the situation.

“Better late than never,” the Queen reassured and gave a gentle smile to her son as he approached the group. She embraced him in a tight hug before turning to the King. Yusei looked to his father and the others with his full attention, he had a bad feeling and his heart began to beat harder against his rib cage as he saw the bitter expressions of the council.  
“As you know, my son, the land grows colder and the people too. We have discussed this with the council and we have agreed that it is possible that the Kingdom of Spades could be responsible,” the King spoke with an unforgiving tone and without hesitation.

“That good for nothing Dark Prince is surely responsible for the darkness that has come across the lands and we must put a stop to him,” the King paused to glance at his son. The Prince held a scowl on his face and shook his head.

“Father, it it unwise to assume something of the Yuki boy let alone the entire Kingdom of Spades for the troubles that have fallen on our Kingdom, I-”

“Yusei do not argue on the matter. We have made agreements with the Kingdom of Diamonds and Clubs. We will send a messenger to Spades and warrant a treaty, if the boy is to decline, we’ll take matters into our own hands,” the King spoke as crossed his arms and held Yusei’s gaze.

“You can’t just put the blame on one man. There could be multiple reasons to this darkness that has fallen across the lands. He could-” Yusei tried to speak but his father cut him short.

“You may have once been friends with the boy in your younger years but the boy you knew is gone, consumed by his dark nature and black magic. Yusei, the council has decided to send you to Spades to offer the treaty. You’ll leave in three days time. I’ll prepare some men to accompany you. Do not fail me, son.”

“But,” Yusei began to speak but seeing the glower on The King’s face, Yusei stood there quietly as he let the words sink into his mind. They were sending him? His gaze shifted to his mother, she gave him an apologetic look and nodded.  
“As you wish, father,” he spoke softly and turned to leave the dining hall when he felt a hand fall on his shoulder.

“Yusei, you’re kindness will be taken for granted as a King. You have much to learn my son, kindness will not save you in this lifetime. It’s time you started looking at things realistically. And another thing, leave that dragon behind,” the King stressed.   
The King left the hall along with the council and the room grew eerily quiet. Yusei stood their silently, many thoughts racing through his mind. So consumed in his thoughts, he didn’t hear his mother come up behind him. He flinched as she placed her hand on his cheek.

“You’re upset,” she whispered. Her deep azure eyes dug into him when she met his gaze. She glanced over the mark on his cheek and rubbed it gently with her thumb.   
“He doesn’t understand me mother, he never has. For a Kingdom known for it’s companionship with dragons, he sure doesn’t want anything to do with them,” Yusei mumbled. His mother embraced him tightly.   
“We can’t expect anyone to truly understand us, we can only expect they’ll understand what they see from their own perspective. Your father loves you Yusei and he just wants what’s best for the Kingdom. As for the dragons, not everyone is as loving to them as you are, Yusei.”

The Queen placed a kiss on her son’s forehead and left him. He stood there with his own thoughts and clenched his fist. He was going to Spades alright, but he would deliver his own message to the Prince. With a sigh Yusei made his way back to the garden to find his dragon. The creature was most likely riled up once again.

If he was going to make it to Spades as fast as possible he was going to need the help of his dragon and his friends. It was time he paid a visit to the small town to the south. Yusei smiled to himself and a soft smile spread across his face. He’d do this his way. 


	2. Principium

Yusei packed a small sack and slung it over his shoulder as he made his way over to the garden, moving with grace through the walls of flowers that surrounded the place as glanced around. The once bright and vibrant flowers had begun to wilt due to the increasingly cold weather and lack of sun. He sighed as he examined a dying rose. It was far too early to be losing their luster and yet here it was, dying and decaying.

Yusei sighed at the sight. “Stardust!” he hollered at the sky. Yusei placed his fingers to his lips and let out a loud whistle. It would only take a few moments for the dragon to come tearing through the sky. It only took a few seconds before he could feel the air whirl around him as the dragon approached and Yusei could only smile to himself when he heard the beating of wings behind him. He laughed to himself before he turned around to find the giant beast landing ever so gracefully.  
“Ah, there you are, I hope you’re feeling thirsty”

Yusei pulled a bottle out from his sack that contained a glowing bright green substance and twisted off the small cork that held the liquid inside. Stardust moved closer to the man and rested it’s head on the ground. Yusei held the bottle out to the dragon and waiting for the creature to take the bottle in it’s jaws. The dragon hesitated for a moment but a smile from Yusei and a pet on the nose was enough to convince Stardust and the dragon gently took the bottle and proceeded to swallow the object and the contents inside.

“Star, you’re not supposed to eat the- ahh never mind. You do this every time anyways” he laughed softly and pet the dragon’s nose once more. Now was the time to wait for the effects of the liquid to take place and Yusei stood silently as he watched the dragon slowly begin to minimize.

It took a while but soon the once very large dragon now sat upon Yusei’s armored shoulder, nuzzling his master’s neck. The effects of the liquid only lasted a few hours and Yusei knew he’d have to hurry to finish his errands. He made his way out of the garden and into the courtyard, trying to sneak past the guards. As the young man made his way to the gate the small dragon let out a fiery sneeze which in turn granted several glances from the guards. Yusei winced and brought his hand to his forehead in agitation.

“Prince Yusei, to what do I owe the honor, out for a afternoon stroll?”  
“Ah, hey Ushio, I was just about to go out to Ignis to get some supplies, please if you don’t mind, I’d like to get through and really, you can jut call me Yusei” he softly spoke to the man and looked him over with kind eyes. The man was the only guard Yusei had ever had a chance to speak with when he was younger and the two had formed a bond of some sorts, to which Yusei admitted he sometimes took advantage of.

“Yusei, Surely you must have known that your father has forbid you from leaving the castle walls until the time of your journey, I can’t let you through” the guard said this with a hint of concern in his tone and raised an eyebrow at the younger man. Yusei expected this but didn’t let it bother him in the least.

“Ushio, it’s urgent, I wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t. You now that,” his tone was much more powerful and his eyes narrowed a bit as he scanned Uchio’s face for a sign of approval. Hearing the tone in Yusei’s voice, Stardust flicked it’s tail and rubbed it’s head against Yusei’s neck in an attempt to let the man know he was still there. Yusei’s attention was stolen and he couldn’t help but smile slightly at the gesture. He glanced at the dragon and gently patted the dragon’s small head with his finger.

“Ah, I don’t know Yusei, the King was pretty riled up when he spoke. I don’t think it would be such a good idea to let you wander around, especially with such an important job coming up,” he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Then again, I know you too well. If I say no you’ll just find another way out, so I guess there is no point in stopping you,” the man chuckled and stood aside for the Prince.

“Thanks Ushio, I owe you one”

“Just hurry back as quickly as you can, before sundown, my watch ends then,” with a smirk and a nod the two said their farewells and Yusei slipped out of the castle walls and into the busy streets of Cor. Stardust hearing the noise and the shouts of children, curled himself around Yusei’s neck and let himself fall into a slumber, keeping one ear open in case there was danger nearby.

It was true that this was considered the heart of the Kingdom, they people were always bustling about and the air felt so alive. However it was a lot quieter than Yusei remembered it being before. Yes, there were still people running about and businesses open but the air felt cold and lifeless.

Thoughts of the Prince from Spades filled his mind suddenly. The Kingdoms think that this is caused by the Prince? How could one person let alone a young man, have so much influence over the entire world and if Yusei failed to get the Kingdoms to cooperate, what would become of The Prince Judai? Yusei shuddered and began making his way into the city.

As the man trudged on he could smell the sweet scent of warm bread and other delicacies. Children ran around in groups playing some game that Yusei didn’t understand but he smiled at them anyway. It reminded him of a different time in his life and it brought forth many feelings. Yusei glanced around trying to figure out where he was, he wasn’t exactly an expert on the city. Now if he was in Vivere, he’d know every corner and alleyway like the back of his hand.

Yusei sighed and scratched his head. He could feel the eyes watching him all over the city. Try as he might, he dodged carts and slipped into alleyways trying to keep himself out of sight. He didn’t want to bring to much attention to himself but with his raven hair streaked with gold and his bright eyes, it was hard for people to not recognize him as the Prince. A woman stopped to stare at him and raised her hand as if gesturing him to go to her.

Yusei quickly made his way into a tavern as the woman was just about to call out to him. He didn’t have time for small talk and he desperately needed to find the right alley to find the one that everyone called The Crow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is super short but that's because the next chapter is going to be really long ^^;   
> Sorry for the wait!


	3. Amicitia

Yusei knocked on the door with caution, looking behind him to make sure he hadn’t been followed. Being the prince of the kingdom meant higher security and more eyes watching you. It was something that irritated Yusei the most. He hadn’t been able to have much privacy since he was brought to the king and queen years ago and he still wasn’t quite accustomed to the new rules that were set for him. Still, he tried to abide by the rules that were in place, until now.

Stardust purred and rubbed against the side of Yusei’s neck. The man sighed with relief as the dragon continued to rub it’s scales along his neck. If the dragon was feeling at ease then Yusei knew he had nothing to worry about. He looked at the old shack and took in a deep breath and knocked once more. A sign hung on the side of the house with the words No Trespassing painted in a faded white color.

A crash came from inside the building followed by a loud slew of curses. Fumbling could be heard and a series of smaller crashes came before the door creaked open about an inch. A pair of grey eyes looked out at him. A huff could be heard and the sound of a lock being undone. Yusei took a slight step back and watched the door as it slowly opened revealing a short man with fiery hair.

“Well, look who’s in the neighborhood, long time no see, Yusei.”

Yusei didn’t move but instead watched the smaller man lean against the door frame. He wore a hearty grin on his face as he let the door fall open. With a nod of his head he gestured the other man come inside his home. Again, Yusei didn’t budge. The smaller man pulled himself away from the frame and took a step out of the doorway.

“Well, hello to you too. What brings you here?” The man looked rather small standing near the raven but his presence was much more prominent. The redhead’s eyes glimmered in the light as he looked up at the other man. “You sure are quiet as ever, I haven’t seen you in ages and then you show up on my doorstep unannounced. The least you could do is say hello, maybe tell me what it is you’re doing here?”

“Uh, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t really think I’d find you,” the raven mumbled. His eyes scanned the area before he looked to the redhead. “Crow, you’re really here.” 

The smaller man gave out a loud laugh and gave Yusei a pat on the shoulder, causing the dragon resting on the other shoulder to hiss. The man drew back his hand as he continued to laugh. “I see you finally got a dragon. So you do have friends in that big ass palace”

A gentle smile spread across Yusei’s face and he nodded. Crow cautiously put his hand in reach of the small dragon in an attempt to earn the beast’s trust. The creature clawed the hand at first before he rubbed his head against the palm. A purr came out of the dragon’s chest and he rubbed his scales over Crow’s arm.

“Well then, he certainty is a unique fella. I’ve never seen a dragon like this before. Only in legends. What’s the name?” Crow scratched the dragon’s head once more before pulling his hand back. 

Without hesitation Yusei answered with a short “Stardust.”

“Well, he’s a beauty.”

Yusei smiled at the comment. He had indeed thought the dragon was a creature of elegance and enchantment. Yusei gave the small dragon a scratch under the chin.

“So, Yusei, what brings you all the way out here? It’s a bit far from where you live these days isn’t it? Got tired from the fancy life, did ya?” The man gave a chuckle as he turned his back and walked through the doorway into his residence. He turned to look back at the raven.

Yusei’s chest tightened at Crow’s words and he suddenly felt weak in the knees. He knew it has been many years since he last spoke to or even saw Crow and now he was here asking for his help. He felt a twinge of guilt. Honesty was the best thing and Yusei knew Crow, if he wanted to help, he would and if he didn’t, well, then Yusei would figure something else out.

“I’ve come to ask for your help, actually,” Yusei shifted his weight as he stood and rubbed his hands together. “I have no idea how to tell you or even ask,” Yusei sighed and run his hand through his hair. He didn’t know where or how he should begin. At Yusei’s silence the other man scoffed.

“You don’t visit and you don’t write to me but suddenly you show up on my doorstep expecting me to help you, yeah? The least you could do is tell me what you need help with, man,” the redhead rolled his eyes and leaned against the frame of the doorway once again.

Yusei let his gaze fall to the floor. He knew he was asking a lot and he didn’t deserve the help but he had to at least try, not only for his sake but for the Prince of Spades, for Judai.

“I know, I know. I’m showing up unannounced and it’s rude of me to ask this but would you be willing to leave-”

“I’ll help you.”

Yusei smiled and took a step forward. His eyes seemed brighter than before.

“Oh thank you. Thank you so much. I owe you one Crow-”

“Now don’t go there. Just tell me what we’re dealing with exactly. For you to come all the way out here for my help means you must really be in a pinch.”

Yusei felt himself tense up a bit. He nodded and took a deep breath.

“The kingdoms are in trouble, Crow. War is about to break out through the land and I have to stop it. They’re going after Spades. I can’t stand for that”

“So the rumors I heard were true then?” Crow gave the raven a quizzical look.

“Well, that all depends on what the rumors are,” Yusei was never really one for rumors but in a case like this they might be useful. 

“Well, all I’ve heard is something about the Prince of Spades spreading darkness across the land with a certain kind of evil he posses and that he’ll stop at nothing until his dark magic devours all four kingdoms, but that’s all I’ve heard. It seems more like a fairy-tale than anything,” the redhead spoke as if mocking the people who had told him of these tales. 

“Well, that’s what the King thinks and they other kingdoms have agreed to an all out war if Judai, er, the prince, doesn’t comply with their demands”

Crow’s eyes narrowed. “So if they don’t get what they want they’re just going to start a war? No, a massacre for the Spades kingdom? Have they lost their minds?”

"It's exactly why I need your help. I have to go to Spades to stop this from becoming bigger than it already is. If you and Jack-"

"Wait, you're bringing Jack into this? I thought you two weren't talking?"

Yusei sighed. "It's true I haven't talked to Jack since the incident but you and I both know how Jack is and besides I won't know until I try."

Crow nodded and pushed himself off the door frame. "Come inside. Let's talk." Yusei followed the smaller man inside and the two began discussing their plan to travel to Ignis.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sky swirled with dark clouds as if a tornado were to touch down at any moment. the wind was harsh and the air felt damp and warm. The castle looked ominous with the crack of lightning crossing the sky and all the citizens of Luna were frightened. The weather had been gruesome for some time and truth be told they blamed it on the dark prince. Even now the townspeople shook with fear wondering when the prince would snap and come for their lives.

On the inside of the castle was a young man who was pacing, his cape dragging on the ground slightly. He looked out his window at the dark sky and sighed. What could he do? What should he do? Never in his life had he experienced a thing like this and he had nobody to turn to. Sometimes he had wished he had siblings so maybe he could ask for advice or even a second opinion. Instead all he had were body guards and servants who were too afraid of him to give an honest answer.

"They'll come for my head if I can't figure something out. I'm not the one to blame for this chaotic weather yet it seems they'll point the blame at anyone with a special gift like myself," they prince walked away from the window and made his way down the hall towards his study. "I need to think. What can I do?"

"Prince Judai, you've received another message from Cor and it's stamped with an urgent seal". Judai glanced to the scroll in the man's hand and then looked away. Another threat maybe? Or maybe they want to make a deal or even maybe, a letter from Yusei? Judai shook his head.

"I'll take it from here, thank you Hayato," the prince grasped the scroll tightly and ripped off the seal. His eyes scanned the page rapidly for the information that was held on it. There was an audible gasp as he read the last line. We're going to war on the 1st of the new span.

"This, this can't be. How could they? They haven't even given the kingdom a chance to explain itself. How could they feel justified in killing so many people!? The kingdom has done nothing wrong. The citizens are innocent! The people will never listen to me but i fear if they don't they'll be slaughtered! Hayato this is bad. Please excuse me, I’ll be in my study" The brunette crunched the scroll in his hand and stormed down the hall to his study where he kicked the door open as he entered causing a loud crash. The brunette grumbled and slammed the door shut.

He walked over to his chair and let himself fall down swinging his leg over the arm of said chair. He sighed and threw the crunched up scroll to the ground. He had less than a quarter to try and figure this out and with time ticking away he felt helpless. He thought about his parents for the first time in a while and it saddened him. A black aura appeared around him and his eyes glowed a deep gold. He would find a way out of this mess and he would bring peace back to the city of Luna. But how? He closed his eyes tightly and tried to think of what to do next. He could send out a message to the citizens of Luna and hope they listen to him but he doubted they would. After the death of his parents the people lost their faith in the royal family or more specifically, him. 

"What's going to happen to this kingdom if I can't fix this? Where do I go from here?" As the brunette pondered this he slowly slipped into a peaceful slumber, the dark aura fading away. The stress of the day had gotten to him and his body decided it needed rest. The lonely prince slept soundly as the storm outside continued to rage on.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well, we better be heading out of here then. It'll take a few days to reach Ignis and it doesn't seem like we have much time on our hands," Crow motioned towards the door and the two left the house hurriedly. Yusei walked out into the what could have once been a nice lawn and looked backed to his friend.

"You know Crow, getting to Ignis might be a few days trip on foot," he smirked and the redhead tilted his head and looked at Yusei confused.

"Yeah, that's kind of what I just said, what's your point?"

"On foot," Yusei repeated. "We don't need to travel on foot becasue when you have a dragon traveling is much faster." Crow's eyes widened as Yusei placed Stardust on the ground and pulled out a bottle with blue liquid in it. He placed a few drops on his finger and let the small dragon lick them off. A few moments passed and the once small dragon began to grow rapidly until it grew into an enormous size. The redhead fell back at the transformation and stared at the creature in awe.

"Meet the real Stardust Dragon," the raven gently rubbed the dragon's nose before moving toward the back of the beast. "We'll cover more ground if we fly on Stardust's back." Crow picked himself up and slowly made his way to the dragon stopping cautiously to look at the creature. "He won't bite, I mean, not unless your intentions are to hurt me." Crow let out a nervous laugh and followed Yusei to the back of the beast.

"So how do you even ride a dragon?"

"It's easy, we'll hop onto his back and hold on to his scales. I haven't figured out how to saddle him up yet so bareback will have to do for now." The redhead nodded a grim expression on his face.

The two of them climbed up the dragon's back and seated themselves between the spikes running down it's back, Yusei had only done this a few times so he was a bit nervous but he didn't have the time to dwell on this. Spades needed him and he would do anything in his power to help.

"Are you ready Crow?"

"M-maybe. Hey, uh, is this really okay?"

"It'll be fine. Trust me."

The redhead nodded and gave the man a thumbs up. "All right then man. I trust you. Let's do this."

With a nod Yusei prepared himself and let out a sigh. Could he help? Would Jack even listen to him? He didn't know. They hadn't talked in years and even if Crow was forgiving, Yusei knew that Jack was an entirely different being. He shook his head. You can do this he told himself. Judai is counting on you. The man looked forward and took a deep breath. It was time.

"Stardust! Let's go!"

At the sound of Yusei's words the dragon's wings beat softly and the beast slowly lifted off the ground. Crow let out a surprised cry while Yusei looked on ahead with determination. He would save Spades and he would bring peace back to the kingdoms even if it killed him.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judai woke with a start as lightning cracked in the sky. How long had he been out? He sat upright in his chair bringing his leg down. He stretched making an audible sigh. The brunette looked around the study with the thoughts of his dream lingering in his head. If only he could go back to those happy days. It brought back the memories of a friend, a friend who was long dead. What if those tragic events hadn't happened. Would they all be there now living happily together? Would Judai have found his place here in the kingdom? Lost in his thoughts he didn't even hear the door to his study open.

"Prince Judai, you have a visitor. Please, come this way."

Judai's eyes blinked a few times before he stood up. A visitor? At this hour? With this weather? Judai wondered who it could possibly be. He rarely received visitors these days. As the two men made their way to the entry of the castle Judai kept his gaze to the floor. His mind filled with too many thoughts.

"H-hey Judai!"

Judai's eyes widened at the voice and he looked up. He saw teal hair and soft turquoise eyes beaming at him. A smile spread across the brunette's face and he ran towards the person standing by the door his cape riding the wind behind him.

"Johan! Johan Andersen, is that really you!?" The boy stopped in front of the other and rocked on his heels. "It's been forever since I last saw you, Johan." The brunette's smile widened. "What brings you here? Where have you been for so long?"

"I'm sorry about that, my brother wouldn't let me come see you. He said you were dangerous and he forbid me from coming but with all the rumors I heard, oh Judai. I just had to come." Johan's eyes gazed at Judai and he held out his arms in an offer of a hug. The brunette saw this and immediately rushed into them. The two embraced for some time before pulling back.

"Judai, what's going on? The people think you did terrible things and they blame you for this crazy weather. What's happening?"

"I don't know. I don't know what's happening and I don't know what the people are saying but it's not true. I have nothing to do with this darkness that's set across the land!" The brunette grit his teeth and looked away. "I don't know what's happening anymore."

Johan held Judai's hands and looked at his friend apologetically. "Why don't we just start from the beginning? It's been a while since I've seen you so we have a lot of catching up to do."

Judai nodded slowly without looking up. "Okay."

The two walked hand in hand up the hallways to the left staircase where they proceeded to climb. Judai's room was located in the west wing and it was the only place the two could have privacy.

As the two entered Judai's room Johan let out a gasp. The room was huge and yet it was so empty. The walls were bare and all that sat in the room was a massive bed with letters scattered across it and a lonely rug that lay on the floor beside it. Where were Judai’s belongings?

Judai closed the door and clapped his hands together loudly. The sound echoed in the room and Johan couldn't help but give a small nervous laugh.

"Okay then Judai. Tell me everything. let's get started," the two made their way to the bed and sat down on the edge. Judai kept his gaze to the floor and sighed.

"Is it that you want to know what's going on in this land specifically or are you wanting to know about my parents too?" There was a long pause. Johan shifted on the bed uncomfortably. He was curious about where the King and Queen were but he figured it was best to not ask. After all, he could tell it was a sensitive subject for his friend.

"Judai, just tell me whatever it is you feel like sharing. I'll listen." Johan gave a gentle smile and leaned over closer to see Judai's face.

Judai looked to Johan with tearful eyes. "Okay." He took in a long drawn out breath and prepared himself. “Okay.”


	4. Quattuor

In the land of Clubs there were four princes who shared the duties of becoming the rulers of the kingdom but one in particular stood out among them. Yuya Sakaki had always been different from his brothers and he seemed to have the most trouble fitting into the lifestyle they lived. He longed for adventure and excitement and enjoyed being the center of attention at most parties. While he sat unusually quiet at the window looking out to the kingdom his brothers entered the room.

“Yuya! There you are! We’ve been looking for you everywhere!” Yugo folded his arms and walked up to Yuya who remained silent. The boy gave Yuya a gentle punch on the arm. “Come on we gotta go.”

“Do you guys ever just wonder what life would be like if we weren’t stuck here living in this dream? Do you guys ever wish you could be, I dunno, free?” Yuya seemed solemn as his eyes cast over the mountains in the distance.

“Come on, we don’t want to keep mother waiting. I’m sure it’s important if she’s calling for all of us.” Yuto placed his hand on Yuya’s shoulder and gestured in the direction of the courtyard.

“Yeah, so get the hell up and quit sulking.” Yuri snapped in annoyance and left the three to themselves.

Yuto again gestured at Yuya. “Come on, you know how mother gets”

With a loud groan Yuya got up from where he sat and the trio began their way to the courtyard to meet with their mother. Yuya’s shoulders sagged and he glanced to the window once more. Surely there was more to life than this.

The boys entered the courtyard in single file manner and approached their mother. She was as elegant as ever in her dress and robes and the boys quickly bowed to her as they entered. Yuya thought his mother must be the most beautiful woman in all the kingdom. 

"Boys, I've called you here for a very important matter and I do hope you'll pay attention to my words." She stood tall and proud with her hands folder in front of her.

"Where's father? If this is so important shouldn't he be here?" Yuri spat he glared up at his mother. He could be doing anything on this day but instead he has to stand here with his brothers and get a lecture, the thought annoyed him.

The queen nodded her head and gave a soft sigh. "He couldn't be here this morning. He's a very busy man and he had an urgent matter to attend to."

"Isn't this an urgent matter?"

"Yuri, please. Hush." The boy folded his arms and looked to the ground.

"Now listen to me, there is the slight chance that the kingdoms will be going to war soon and-"

"War!? For what? With who?"

"mother what happened!?"

"What for?"

"Will you three shut up!"

The queen pressed her fingers to her temple and sighed. "Boys, hush. Boys. Boys. Boys!"

The four stopped their bickering and stood silently at the queen's sudden burst and they all gave her their undivided attention. Yugo shifted in his spot a bit but kept his eyes on the queen.

"There's something happening across the land. Something we do not understand and the kingdom of Diamonds, Hearts and Clubs have decided to unite and rid the land of this darkness that seems to be spreading."

Yuto looked to his mother and cleared his throat, "Mother but what about the kingdom of Spades? Surely they too would provide their aid to such a cause and-" Yuto was cut off.

"But mother-" Jugo interjected and his eyes searched his mother for an answer.

Yuya furrowed his brows and his mind began to race at the thought of war against another kingdom.

The queen put up her hand for silence. "The kingdom of Spades has turned traitor against the alliance and therefore it is up to the rest of the kingdoms to bring back order to our peaceful lands. We must be strong and support the cause and rid the land of such evil. A traitor must be burned for their crimes. Do you understand?" She looked to her sons and saw the concern on the faces of three. Yuri simply nodded in agreement with his   
mother. 

It was then that Yuya spoke out, "Mother, what about the prince who lives there? Surely he can't be the reason so much darkness has spread across our land. That would be impossible. How can you justify going to war when we don't even know all the facts? You yourself said we don't understand! How can we let this happen?"

The queen looked at her son and sighed as she walked over to him. She placed her hands on his shoulders and knelt down a bit so they could speak at eye level. "Yuya, my son, sometimes we must act for the sake of others. We have tried contacting the kingdom of Spades for many span and they have never responded or tried to contact us. We have every reason   
to protect our people and our kingdoms. You'll understand when you're older." Yuya sagged his shoulders and closed his eyes but nodded. With a smile his mother tousled his hair and sent the boys on their way while she left to go to the king's chambers.

The boys sat in the garden to talk among themselves and to possibly cheer each other up after hearing such grim news. All except for Yuri felt as if this judgement had been unfair and they wanted more answers than their mother was willing   
to give. Yuya was especially concerned with the outcome of this talk with their mother and he picked grass while the others discussed the topic.

"This just doesn't make any sense though, I mean, the kingdoms settled their differences many many years ago, before we   
were even born. Probably before our grandparents were born. How can this be happnening so suddenly and so seemingly easy? It's not right. Something is definitely up." Yuto had lay down on a stone bench near the shrine in the garden and he couldn't help but think out loud to his brothers. The wind blew and the hairs on his arm stood up against the chill. Yuto sighed. Something was definitely up here.

"But why won't mother tell us anything? It's supposed to be urgent yet she barely said a thing. That doesn't seem like her. She seemed a bit unusual today." Yugo lay in the grass near the stone bench and played with a flower which bloomed   
nearby. Yuto seemed to agree because he gave a nod at Yugo's statement though he didn't speak out.

Yuri shrugged in annoyance. "A traitor to the kingdom is a traitor regardless of the past. Obviously Spades fucked up and now they have to pay the consequences. Simple as that." Yuri had always been the more bitter of the three and it wasn't surprising to Yuto that he would side with the kingdoms on the matter.

Yuya remained silent for a while and let his thoughts take over him. He couldn't help but think about the prince. The prince they had all once met many years ago. He has seemed so full of joy and love, surely he couldn't be the   
cause of what had been happnening lately.

"Yuya, you okay? You haven't really spoken for a while." Yuto sat up looking to his brother.

Yuya looked up and gave a half smile. "I was just thinking, that's all."

"Well, would you care to share your thoughts?"

Yuya sighed and looked up at the darkened sky. It was swirled with clouds and it looked as if snow was beginning to fall. "Don't you think it's rather odd that two years ago the king and queen or Spades disappears and now this?   
They say they haven't been able to reach the prince but has anyone sent out messengers? Has anyone actually gone to have a sit down with Prince Judai? Something seems off about this entire thing. I don't believe someone who could smile like the way Prince Judai does could be capable of such horrible things. I don’t like this at all."

Yuto sighed, “I understand how you feel Yuya, I too do not believe that Prince Judai is the cause for all this madness but we can’t do anything as we are right now,” Yuto stood up from his seat and walked over to his brother and knelt down. “I want to help Judai too, but right now there’s nothing that can be done.”

“We’ll figure something out Yuya! We just need to think of a plan and maybe we can reason with mother and father.” Yugo sat up and ran over to where Yuya sat. “We can figure something out.”

“Please, the traitor will burn for his crimes so get over it.” Yuri rolled his eyes and turned his back to his brothers and left the garden. He had far better things to do than discuss the life of a traitor regardless if it had been someone they once knew.

Yuya grabbed fistful of grass as Yuri spoke and he grit his teeth. He watched the other leave and stood up letting the grass slip through his fingers. He heard the words echo in his head again. Please, the traitor will burn for his crimes so get over it. Yuya looked up to the sky “Not while I’m around. I think I’ll give the girls a call.” Yuya grinned. 

The boys left the garden as snow began to fall and they each went to their rooms to have time to themselves, well, everyone except for Yuya. The boy grabbed his cloak and his satchel and left the castle walls in search of the ones called The Bracelet Girls.

Yuya had been out to the streets of Paradisum several times but he knew the girls lived on the outskirts near Tristitia so he had packed for the long travel. He figured a few hours would get him to Tristitia and he didn’t want to waste any time getting there. With his hood up and his goggles on the young prince took to the streets with a mission set in his heart and the power of justice in his mind.


	5. Iuvenis

Far to the east was the kingdom of Diamonds, a proud land that was known for the stones and gems that could be found in the land and the vast wealth this kingdom carried. The king and queen were seldom there and were always off traveling due to business leaving the oldest princess to tend to the kingdom while their younger son learned the duties and rules of running the kingdom. Yuma was only 13 and the youngest prince in all the kingdoms and the most energetic at that. The annual meet up of the kingdoms always had him feeling like an outcast among the other older princes but that didn’t stop him from trying his best. 

Yuma had a very active imagination that complimented his youth and fed into his excitable nature which this made the kingdom see him as childish. Yuma was a lucky soul that could see the spirits of the departed and his best friend happened to be just that. Their name was Astral. Astral had been Yuma’s best friend for as long as the young prince could remember and even though the rest of the kingdom couldn’t see Astral, Yuma considered Astral to be his closest friend. 

“Astral doesn’t the castle seem quieter than usual today? It feels like there’s a chill in the air,” Yuma wandered the empty halls of his home in search of something to entertain him but found the place was barren and alone. 

“Perhaps its a holiday?“ 

“No if it was a holiday mother and father would be here but theyre clearly not.” Yuma folded his arms in annoyance. 

“Not to interrupt but shouldn’t you be addressing them as the king and queen? Isn’t that the formal way to address your parents?” 

Yuma rolled his eyes. “Ah, who cares about that stuff. They’re still my parents so why shouldn’t I be able to call them as such? All that formal stuff is boring anyways.” Yuma walked over to the nearby window and peered outside. It was gloomy and dark, very unusual for this time. “They’ve been gone far longer than usual and I’m worried. Do you think they got lost?” 

“One cannot say without having any knowledge of the situation,” Astral was always right to the point and blunt which normally Yuma appreciated in a way but today he wasn’t feeling up for it. “Astral couldn’t you just try to help me feel better?” Yuma began to pout which I turn annoyed Astral. Before the spirit could say anything there was a shout heard down the hall. Yuma and Astral turned to find Yuma’s older sister, Akari running after them with a distressed expression upon her face. Her eyes out up slightly at the sight of Yuma and Akari hurriedly hugged her younger brother to her chest.

“Akari, what’s wrong?” Yuma didn’t know what to do so he stood there and waited for his sister to speak. Slowly her embrace weakened and she moved her hands to rest on his shoulders. She looked solemn. “Akari?” 

“Yuma, come with me there’s something we need to talk about.” “Akari, what’s wrong can’t you tell me now?” 

“Please Yuma, listen to me and come to the library. Please,” the look in his sister’s eyes made Yuma feel uneasy but he nodded. Together the two walked the long hallway and made their way to the library. The library was vast with thousands of Books on shelves. The room was the most quiet in the castle and the most deserted. It was the perfect place to be when you wanted to be alone. Yuma and Akari made their way to the desk and Yuma hopped up and sat right on it. Akari was too tired to argue for him to get down and instead she leaned against front and let out a sigh. The two siblings remained silent side by side for a moment before Yuma began swinging his legs in boredom. 

"Akari, what’s going on? Why did we come here?“ 

"Yuma…I got a letter from the police force today about an accident.” Akari wouldn’t look at Yuma. “What kind of an accident?" 

"There was an accident Yuma, involving the king and queen. No, mother and father,” Akari bit her lip and shut her eyes tightly. “They’re gone Yuma.”

Lightning cracked outside and lit up the room for a moment. Rain began to fall and the sound could be heard as it hit against the roof and windows. 

“W-what?” Yuma’s legs stopped swinging and he looked to his sister. The words made his blood run cold and he felt numb. “What did you say?”

Akari pushed herself off the desk and turned to look at Yuma, his eyes were wide and he looked puzzled. She sighed and shook her head moving her hand to cover her eyes. “I said they’re gone, Yuma.”

“That’s not true. That can’t be true!” Yuma grit his teeth and slammed his hands on the desk.

“They found their carriage over in the Spades kingdom. It was in pieces covered in black flames. There was nothing that could be saved.”

Yuma jumped off from the desk and turned to face Akari. “It’s not true! I won’t accept that! If they were in Spades it means they were on their way back! They’ll be home any time now. Just watch. You’ll see. Akari they-” he was cut off by his sister shaking her head. She placed her hands on his shoulders once more and tried to keep a calm expression on her face.

“Yuma, they’re gone. The police force looked everywhere but couldn’t find them. Right now we need to-” but before she could continue Yuma pushed her hands away from him and took off out of the library. She shook her head once more and leaned against the desk. She would let Yuma grieve in his own way and she hers. In time she would go talk to her brother to make sure he was okay but for now she figured giving him his space was the best. She would check on him in the morning but for now she let herself break down.

Yuma ran through the castle and out the doors. The rain pelted against him as he made his way through the yard. He sprinted towards the stables, tears streaming down his cheeks. Yuma forced the doors open and he walked inside to find the stable nice and dry. He stood in the rain for a moment before he made his way inside shutting the doors behind him.

“It can’t be true…” Yuma whispered to himself as he walked through the aisles of stables. He was soaked with rain and he felt overwhelmingly cold. The young prince found himself at stable number 39 with the name “Hope”. A beautiful snow white horse stood in the stables silently. The boy opened the latch and made his way towards the animal. Hope it tossed it’s head as Yuma approached. 

Yuma pet the horse’s snout and he began to sob. He let himself fall and he let out a loud and distressed cry. The tears streamed down Yuma’s cheeks and fell into the hay beneath him. As he cried Hope nuzzled the prince in an attempt to console him. The rain outside pounded against the roof of the stables and lightning could be heard in the dreary sky. All around was silent and the only thing that could be heard in the stables was the sad sounds of Yuma’s sorrow.

Yuma had cried for what felt like hours but after a while he grew silent. He sat there looking at the bits of hay surrounding him while his thoughts ran wild with his imagination. 

“Yuma,” Astral had no idea what to say but they wanted to try and help their friend. “Are you alright? It’s getting late, maybe we should go inside?” Yuma remained silent. 

The two sat in silence for a while before Yuma lifted his head and looked up at Hope. “What can I do right now, Hope? Everything seems so pointless right now. I can’t bring myself to believe what Akari said but I know she wouldn’t have made it up. If only I could have seen it for myself maybe I would feel something different and maybe- wait,” Yuma stopped petting the horse and jumped to his feet. “If I had seen it myself.” 

“Yuma what are you-”

“Astral don’t you see! I need to go to Spades and figure things out for myself. I’ll go find my mother and father!” Yuma stood up and ran to grab Hope’s saddle and bridle. “I’ll go to Spades and I’ll find them Astral. I’ll find them and I’ll bring them home!” 

Astral wanted to protest but seeing how fired up Yuma was they hesitated. “If you think that will help.” Astral watched as Yuma prepared Hope, he was so much smaller than the horse Astral wondered how the prince would even get on. “I didn’t know you could ride.”

“I haven’t had many lessons but I got the basics down. I just need to go pack some things and I can head out. I need to leave now so I can find then sooner. I’m sure they’ll be on their way so I can meet them on the way.” Yuma looked exhausted but Astral knew if they tried to protest the boy would fight against it so instead Astral offered to help in any way they could.

“Make sure you pack food and water if you’re really going to go. Just in case you have to wait long.” Astral followed Yuma as he ran back to the warmth of the castle. Yuma made sure to be as quiet as he could while he walked through the halls. He didn’t want to be noticed or found out. It was late and he figured most member of the castle would be asleep by now. 

Yuma ran to his room and grabbed his satchel and began putting the things he felt he needed inside. Luckily he already had a portable container of water which he had filled earlier so he was set for that. Next he packed gloves, his favorite scarf and a clean shirt. He wasn’t sure on what else to bring so he brought some rope and the knife his father had given him. 

“Don’t forget the food.” Astral reminded the boy.

“Oh right, I guess we should go down to the kitchen then. I’ll grab some apples and maybe a loaf of bread.” Yuma was about to leave his room when something shining caught his eye. He looked over to his night stand and found the necklace he had been given long ago. The prince picked up the necklace and examined it for a moment. It was his most precious thing he owned. With a sigh Yuma placed the necklace around his neck and turned to leave the room.

“Oh, you might want to bring your cloak. The weather is rather horrid outside.” 

“Right.” Yuma grabbed his cloak from his closet and put it on leaving the hood down for the moment. The duo made their way back to the stables where Hope stood patiently waiting. Yuma led the horse outside and began to climb on. The wind was rough and the rain continued to fall but Yuma was determined. So the young prince put up his hood and got himself settled on Hope’s back.

“Alright Astral, say goodbye to home. We’re not coming back until we find my parents!” Astral sighed but gave a wave to the castle. Yuma smiled and signaled for Hope to move forward. Hope began in a trot that soon turned into a run and the trio began their journey to the kingdom of Spades.


	6. Reus

The air was cold as the dragon flew, it’s wings beating against the clouds. Yusei squinted to try and see anything ahead but could only see the thick fog that surrounded them. Crow held his eyes shut and clung to the dragon for dear life as it began to dive underneath for a clearer view of the land. 

Yusei could make out the small shapes of buildings and he smiled. He could vaguely see the shape of a large white church and he knew they had found the right city. He had heard rumors of Jack living in Ignis and the village was known for it’s infamous church that survived the devastating fire that had destroyed the place.

“We’re close! I can see the-” Yusei stopped when he looked back and saw Crow with his eyes tightly shut. “Crow, you doing okay?”

The redhead lifted his head and squinted up at Yusei giving him a shaky thumbs up.”Peachy.” Yusei smiled and looked forward once more. They were almost there and Yusei was nervous to see Jack. 

“Stardust, fly lower!” At the command the dragon made a swoop downward causing Crow to cry out. It was clear the man had never flown before. Yusei laughed to himself and watched as the buildings passed by. They were flying at a decent pace and the closer they got to the village the slower Stardust flew. Yusei held his breath for a moment and closed his eyes as the realization had hit him. Soon the trio would be united and while it made Yusei excited he also felt incredibly nervous.

The dragon slowed itself and soon they were only feet away from the ground. Stardust stretched out it’s legs and gently touched down, it’s tail sweeping dust up. Once the dragon was settled it turned it’s massive head back to look at Yusei, nuzzling him in the process.

“Good boy Stardust, good boy.” Yusei rubbed the dragon’s head in appreciation causing the dragon to purr.

“Can I get off now?” Yusei turned his head to see Crow qucikly making his way off the dragon’s back and to the ground. With a loud thud the redhead had his feet planted firmly in the gravel. “Thanks for the lift.” 

Yusei smiled and gave the dragon one more pat before climbing down. He reached into his bag pulling out another bottle of the green liquid. 

“What’s that for? More of that weird juice?”

“It’s not juice. It’s a liquid that helps minimize Stardust’s size so I can carry him around with me when I need to. Open up Star.” The dragon opened it’s mouth and Yusei threw the bottle into the air and as he did the dragon’s head moved and snapped the bottle in it’s jaws. A few moments had passed and the dragon began to shrink down in size. Crow watched in amazement his mouth hanging open slightly. 

“This is incredible! I can’t believe such a thing exists. Why haven’t I heard of this before?”

“Well, to be honest I’m the only one I know that uses these kinds of potions so I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s not common knowledge. My mother was the one who introduced me to it.” Yusei knelt down and reached his hand out to the dragon and gave a little whistle. The now tiny dragon clawed it’s way over to the raven and climbed up his arm to rest on his shoulder. 

“You’re some dragon tamer Yusei. A lot of people would be jealous.” Crow gave the small dragon a scratch under the chin. “He’s cute when he’s not towering over me.”

“Yeah, a dragon tamer. My father definitely wouldn’t like the sound of that. He’s not really fond of Stardust.” Yusei’s eyes looked toward the ground and he sighed. 

“Well, that’s a shame. You’re really talented.”

“Thanks. Though, I think we should get going. Who knows where Jack is and the city is huge. I think we should try our luck and start searching.”

“You’re the boss.” Crow gave the other man a wink and the duo set off to find the one they called Jack.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

“You’re telling me that you’re adopted!?”

“Johan out of everything I’ve told you, that’s what you’re focusing on?” Judai rolled his eyes and folded his arms. His friend could be unbelievable sometimes. 

Johan looked over at him sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry, I guess it’s just a bit of a surprise to me that you’re not related to the late king and queen. It’s unsettling to say the least. It’s not the most surpising thing you’ve told me. I think that with everything you’ve said it was the least worrisome so I chose to focus on that instead.”

“Well, Okay. It is unsettling but it’s the truth. The king and queen were not my parents. I was taken from a small village to the west of here in a land far away. The king and queen found me and brought me here and I became their new prince.” Judai leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. A heavy sigh escaped his lips and he closed his eyes. But why did they take me? Just what made me so special that they felt the need to bring me to this awful place?

“Well, maybe they saw something in you Judai. Maybe they couldn’t have children of their own. We don’t know the reason they brought you here but they did and we can’t change that.” Johan placed his hand on Judai’s. “I’m here for you. And I don’t care what you did. It wasn’t your fault.”

“It was my fault Johan I--” He could feel his voice crack.

“Judai, it wasn’t your fault.”

Judai’s eyes closed and he felt his heart rate speed up. The pain in his chest grew and he felt like he was going to cry. Johan must have sensed this because he wrapped his arms around the prince and the two of them sat there for the rest of the evening while Judai collected his thoughts.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

They had been searching for hours with no luck and the two men began to feel a bit hopeless as their quest to find their friend grew dimmer. 

“What if he doesn’t even live here anymore? And if he does, what are the odds of us finding that jerk. This is hopeless.” 

Crow groaned as they walked down a busy street full of people bustling about with their lives. Yusei sighed. Crow had a point and he hated to admit it. Maybe this was a waste of time. Judai needed help and without a lead how were they going to find Jack? He was tired and really needed to get a move on if he was going to head out to Spades as soon as possible.

Yusei was just about to call it quits when Stardust suddenly began to growl, sparks flying from it’s mouth. Yusei gasped in surprise. The dragon’s gaze was aimed toward something and when Yusei’s eyes followed he saw a rather tall blond man looking over assignments that were pinned up on the town’s bulletin board with a dragon resting on his shoulders. 

In shock Yusei made his way through the crowd of people, dodging some men and sliding past women, until he found himself only a few feet away from the man. Stardust spat sparks out and let out a roar.

The dragon on the other man’s shoulder let out a roar of it’s own shooting fire out of it’s mouth. The two small dragons growled and hissed at the other, sparks and flames flying. The blond man cursed and turned around trying to figure out what was troubling his dragon and then he stopped. He glared at Yusei and Stardust with eyes that were full of rage. 

“Yusei, what has gotten into you? You just take off without saying a thing to me and--” Crow’s mouth shut as he followed Yusei’s gaze. His eyes widened. There was Jack standing at the board looking rather vexed.

“You.” Was the only word the blond man said. It was full of malice and disgust.

“Jack! Long time no see!” Crow offered a friendly wave despite the tension in the air. Yusei and Jack remained silent only taking the time to stare each other down. Their dragons mimicking their masters. It was only when Jack finally spoke that the red dragon seemed to calm itself.

“What are you doing here?” 

Yusei blinked for a moment before speaking. “Jack, I’m here. Well, I’m here to ask for your help. I--”

Jack gave a disgruntled grunt and shook his head. “I see no reason why I should help you.”

“Come on Jack don’t do this.” Crow pitched in.

“You stay out of this, if I wanted your opinion on the matter I think I would have asked.” Jack shot daggers at the redhead and folded his arms.

“Jack, he’s here because of me. Be angry with me if you have to but leave Crow out of it.” Yusei took a step forward and Stardust hissed.

“You? Of course I’d be angry at you, traitor. Now leave.”

“Traitor? What are you talking about, Jack. I never betrayed you or anyone.”

“Oh really? And I don’t suppose Crow has filled you in on the details did he?”

Yusei looked to Crow with curious eyes. “Details about what?” 

“About the night you snitched on us and left with your new mommy and daddy to go live in the castle like a little prince!”

“That’s not what happened Jack!” Yusei didn’t like to raise his voice much but he was angry so angry that his fists were shaking.

“Jack that’s not fair! You don’t know the whole story!”

“We’re done here.” Jack closed his eyes for a moment and did his best to collect himself before turned and left leaving Yusei and Crow behind. The last the duo saw of his was his white cape flowing in the wind.

“Well that settles that.” Crow sighed and rubbed his temples. “Jack is the same as ever. What as ass.”

Yusei shook his head. “No, something’s wrong. Crow, what happened to to you guys that night?”

“Oh, that. I was hoping we wouldn’t have to bring that up but I guess there’s no choice. Come on, let’s go have a drink and I’ll tell you everything.” 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Johan ran his fingers through Judai’s hair as the brunette lay in his arms. The two had been sitting here for a while and Johan began to grow concerned with the silence. “Judai, are you okay?”

The brunette picked his head up and smiled. “Yeah, I’m okay. I think. I just feel this emptiness inside me Johan. It’s building. Like something is suffocating me. It feels like I’m trapped. Oh, Johan. What am I going to do about everything?”

“I don’t know but we’ll figure it out. Keep a level head. We still have time and I think it would be in your best interest to want eh folks about this. Give them a chance to decide what they want to do.” Johan moved to get up which signaled Judai to do the same.

“Johan but what can I do? What can I do to help anyone? It’s hopeless. The kingdoms are going to come after me and I’ve done nothing wrong! How am I supposed to keep a level head when I know that they’ll be coming for mine?” 

“Judai. Sit down and breathe for a minute. Just breathe.”

The brunette did as he was told and took in a deep breath slowly letting it out. He repeated this several times before he opened his eyes.

“Feel better?”

Judai nodded.

“I’m glad. Now, let’s begin by writing to the people of the city. They need to know what’s going on.”

Judai sighed but nodded once more in agreement.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Yusei and Crow sat at the bar and sighed. The day hadn’t gone exactly how Yusei had hoped and he felt tried. Crow didn’t say much as he looked into his mug, he occasionally swirled the drink around in his hand so he could watch the liquid move in the cup.

“Alright Crow, tell me what happened that night. What happened that night when I was taken away?” Yusei looked to Crow with pleading eyes and the redhead sighed. 

“A;right, alright. I’ll tell you everything. That night you, Jack and I stole from that bakery and we all got caught was one of the worst nights Jack and I had to experience.”

“What do you mean?” 

“Well for starters, you disappeared and we had no idea where the guards had taken you. We thought you were being punished or something so we tried escaping to go rescue you.It didn’t work. We got caught and ended up getting whippings. We were starved for three days. It was terrible.”

Yusei swallowed hard feeling his stomach twist. 

“We waited and waited for you but you never came. They released us a few days later and by then we were starving, sore, and in need of a good night’s sleep, probably a shower too. When we couldn’t find you we asked around and they told us you had been taken to the castle by the king and queen.”

Yusei felt the nausea rise in him and he couldn’t drink the rest of his milk.

“We thought you had snitched on us or something. Y’know? Tell them something to make it easier on yourself. It’s been a long time and I chose to get over it. There’s no way Yusei could have done something like that I always told myself. And well, that’s all of it I guess. Jack still thinks you turned us in for a better deal I guess.” Crow looked at Yusei and could see the hurt in his eyes. 

“You okay?”

Yusei bit his lip and shook his head. “I didn’t know. I didn’t know you guys suffered so much.”

“Hey, it wasn’t your fault. We all chose to do what we did and we got caught. It’s that simple.”

Yusei shook his head and slammed his fist on the table. “I should ahve been there for you guys. I should have tried harder!”

“Yusei there’s nothing you could have done. It’s over now. We’re fine. Jack might still be a little sore but it’s in the past. Please Yusei, let it go.”

Yusei picked his head up and looked up at Crow. His eyes were filled with determination and hope. 

“Come on Crow, let’s go get Jack.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and I hope you will look forward to the next chapter!


End file.
